It’s not everyday that high school students get a first-hand look into the realities of college life.
The world of cafeteria dinners, upperclassmen, dorm rooms and challenging professors, can make any 11th grader a little nervous before the application process.
Fortunately, the girls at Irma Rangel Young Women’s Leadership School in Dallas have been given the opportunity to experience the day-to-day college life on the SMU campus for the past two years.
The Girls Talk Back camp, supported by the Foundation for the Education of Young Women and SMU’s Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, is a week-long camp designed to help improve the written and oral communication skills of young individuals.
While most high school girls don’t know what to expect before they get to college, SMU provides a well-equipped study environment for all of the girls to learn.
Former GTB camper, Ali Keeter, said she “loved being on the SMU campus.”
“Not only was it a beautiful campus, but the buildings weren’t far away from each other and it was nice to be able to walk to the library,” she said.
With no more than 40 students per class, each camper attends a writing seminar in the morning, followed by an afternoon with topics on public speaking and professional etiquette.
SMU professors, along with other teachers from Dallas public and private schools, teach all three seminars.
Communication skills are examined through various writing forms, including essays, poems and presentation styles. The girls also work on interview preparation skills and complete group projects that are designed to help them develop a strong, powerful voice.
Following a full day of academics, the girls stay in an SMU residence hall, where they experience college life outside the classroom.
At least two to three times, the young girls have the opportunity to talk to different SMU students or a residence hall assistant about college life and their experiences over the years.
“We try to do fun things in the evenings like you would do as a first year,” Marilyn Swanson, director of programming, said.
“This is a good opportunity for them to see what life is like on campus,” she said.
By the end of the week, the young girls have learned to develop their voices in ways that will further empower them both academically and socially throughout college.
The seminars are built to improve their communication skills, boost self-confidence and polish their writing styles before entering college.
At the GTB camp, young women like Keeter have the opportunity see how college life works on a daily basis.
Former camper, Natalie Stefanelli, holds her memories of camp dear to her heart. Today, most of her favorite conversations at Irma Rangle still begin with the phrase, “Remember, over the summer, at SMU…”
To volunteer as a college speaker or resident assistant during the Girls Talk Back camp, July 18-23, contact Marylin Swanson at [email protected].
